1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to frequency modulation and, in particular to frequency modulation of a carrier by radio signals.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The frequency modulation (FM) of carriers by audio signals is very common. It is involved in various fields, such as the radiofrequency transmission of sounds and video cameras that transmit by hertzian means a composite audio and video signal to a video recorder or a television receiver.
Generally, in television systems, the audio signal, coming from a microphone or any processing circuit, is first used to modulate in frequency a carrier of frequency equal to 4.5, 5.5, 6 or 6.5 MHz, according to the desired television standard (PAL, NTSC). The obtained FM signal is then added to the baseband video signal and the combined signal is used to modulate a carrier for transmission.
FIG. 1 illustrates in a simplified manner an FM audio modulation chain usable in such a system. In FIG. 1, an analog baseband audio input signal IN, typically having a frequency under 20 kHz, drives an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 2. Converter 2 provides a digital audio signal coded over 16 bits, sampled at a frequency on the order of 50 kHz. The digital audio signal then generally passes through an automatic gain control unit (AGC) 4, which clips possible signal peaks and increases the level of very low sounds.
The output of unit 4 is connected to a first output terminal OUT 1. Output OUT 1 provides a digital audio signal coded over 16 bits, that can, for example, be used for mixing or sent for processing on the USB bus of a universal computer.
The audio signal at the output of the AGC unit is also provided to a digital frequency modulator (FM) 6, connected to a second output OUT 2. Output OUT 2 provides the desired signal, that is, frequency-modulated by the audio signal.
FIG. 2 illustrates in greater detail the FM modulation chain of FIG. 1.
In FIG. 2, a signal IN drives a circuit 10 acting as an analog-to-digital converter and ensuring the automatic gain control. Output OUT 1 of circuit 10 provides a digital audio signal, coded over 16 bits, here at the 52.6 kHz frequency. Circuit 10 is connected, via various processing units, to an actual FM modulator 30 that provides, on output OUT 2, a carrier modulated in frequency by the audio signal.
Circuit 10 includes a delta-sigma modulator (xcex94xcexa3) 11 that turns the analog input signal into a signal coded over one bit at a sampling frequency, here equal to 6.75 MHz. This signal drives a comb filter 12 followed by a decimator 13. The comb filter behaves as a low-pass filter and enables sub-sampling of the signal. Decimator 13 is a decimator by sixteen. Decimator 13 replaces sixteen successive samples of the signal with a single sample, of a value equal to the sum of the values of the replaced samples. Thus, at the output of decimator 13, the frequency is equal to 421 kHz (6.75 MHz divided by 16) and the signal is coded over sixteen bits.
Then, the signal passes through an automatic gain control unit (AGC) 14, having the same function as unit 4 of FIG. 1. Then, the signal passes through a finite impulse response filter (FIR) 15, followed by a decimator by four 17. At the output of decimator 17, the signal is sampled at a frequency of 421 kHz divided by four, that is, approximately 105 kHz. The signal, still over 16 bits, then passes through a second finite impulse response filter (FIR) 18 and a decimator by two 19. At the output of decimator 19, the signal is sampled at approximately 52.6 kHz. It is coded over 16 bits and supplies output OUT 1. Filters 15 and 18 behave as low-pass filters. These are filters with steep sides, which enable sub-samplings 17 and 19.
The output signal of circuit 10 crosses a pre-emphasis filter (PREEMP FILT) 22. This filter is intended for emphasizing the high frequencies of the audio signal for a joint transmission with the video signal (in receive mode, a de-emphasis filter, symmetrical to the pre-emphasis filter, is used to restore the original audio frequencies). Then, the signal passes through a gain multiplier unit 23. Unit 23 multiplies the signal by a constant G and aims at establishing an amplitude of the audio signal appropriate to the desired transmission standard. Then, the signal passes through an over-sampler 26 followed by a comb filter (COMB) 28. Over-sampler 26 multiplies the number of samples by 512. It conventionally operates by inserting zeroes, here 511, between two samples, and the assembly is smoothed by filter 28, used as a low-pass filter. At the output of filter 28, the signal, still coded over 16 bits, is sampled at a frequency of 27 MHz (512 times 52.6 kHz).
The signal then drives the actual FM modulator 30. The modulator conventionally includes a phase loop formed by an adder 32 and a shift register (REG) 33. Adder 32 has three inputs. On a first input, it receives the audio signal coded over 16 bits. On a second input, it receives a constant P0, coded over 25 bits. On a third input, it receives the output of shift register 33, also over 25 bits. The output of adder 32 is connected to the input of shift register 33. Register 33 is driven by a clock of frequency FS equal to 27 MHz. The output of register 33 is connected to a sinusoidal shaper (LUT) 34.
Unit 34 is formed of a look-up table, which retains at its input the 12 most significant bits from among the 25 output bits of register 33. The table provides, on output OUT 2, a sinusoidal signal corresponding to a carrier modulated in frequency by the input audio signal.
The operation of modulator 30 is the following.
Shift register 33 is a 25-bit register providing at its output a number ranging between 0 and (225xe2x88x921). Assume, to begin with, that the audio signal is absent. Upon each clock signal, output REGxe2x80x2 of register 33 is: REGxe2x80x2=REG+P0 (modulo 25), REG being the register output at the preceding clock pulse. REGxe2x80x2 follows an amplitude ramp between 0 and (225xe2x88x921). The frequency of this ramp is a frequency F0 equal to FS.P0/225. The choice of constant P0 determines the carrier frequency of modulator 30. For example, a constant P0 equal to 6,835,162 will provide a carrier of a frequency F0 equal to 5.5 MHz. The generated ramp may easily be transformed into a sinusoidal signal by unit 34, the phase of the generated sinusoidal signal being proportional to the output signal of register 33.
When an audio signal is present, its 16 bits are aligned on the 16 most significant bits among the 25 bits of the adder. The audio signal is added to constant P0, and a ramp having a frequency oscillating according to the audio signal around a central frequency determined by P0 is obtained at the output of register 33. Since the audio signal is sampled at the 27-MHz frequency, the output value of the shift register changes upon each pulse of clock CK. If the audio signal was sampled at a lower frequency, it would remain constant during several clock signals and a signal having a frequency varying by steps would be obtained as an output, which is not desirable. Unit 34 then receives the ramp at the register output and provides on output OUT 2 a signal corresponding to a carrier of frequency F0 modulated by the input audio signal.
The modulation chain of FIG. 2 has many disadvantages.
For example, modulator 30 is bulky and relatively expensive. The shift register indeed occupies a non-negligible space in the circuit, and so does the adder. The bus connecting the output of the shift register to the adder input is also bulky.
Further, to bring the audio signal to the operating frequency of the modulator, prior art provides an interpolator, which multiplies the sample frequency by 512. This interpolator by 512 is an expensive and bulky component. Also, finite impulse response filters 15 and 18 are expensive components.
An object of the present invention is to provide a digital FM modulator that is simpler, of reduced size and less expensive than in prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to simplify the signal processing upstream of the modulator, by providing a simpler, less bulky and less expensive FM modulation chain than in prior art.
To achieve these objects as well as others, the present invention provides a modulator to implement a frequency modulation by means of a digital input signal coded over a first predetermined number of bits and sampled at a first frequency.
The modulator includes:
a noise shaper receiving the input signal and providing, based thereon, a signal coded over one bit,
a phase loop including an adder and a shift register, the adder receiving said signal coded over one bit, the output of the shift register, and a constant, the shift register receiving the adder output, and
a sinusoidal shaper coupled to the output of the shift register to provide a signal modulated in frequency by the input signal.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shift register is driven by a clock having a high drive frequency and in which said first frequency is equal to the drive frequency.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the drive frequency is equal to 27 MHz.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the shift register is a 14-bit register.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, said input signal is an audio signal.
The present invention also provides an FM modulation chain including:
a modulator such as previously described,
a pre-emphasis unit for emphasizing the high frequencies of a digital signal coded over a second predetermined number of bits sampled at a second frequency smaller than the first sampling frequency,
a variable-gain unit, and
an interpolator for, on the one hand, transforming the second signal frequency into the first frequency and, on the other hand, having the number of bits of the signal coded over the second predetermined number of bits pass from the second predetermined number to the first predetermined number,
the pre-emphasis unit, the variable gain unit and the interpolator being connected in this order and the interpolator output being connected to the noise shaper of the modulator.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the interpolator includes an oversampler followed by a comb filter.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second frequency is equal to 421 kHz and the interpolator performs an interpolation by 64.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the modulation chain further includes:
a unit for converting the input analog audio signal into a digital signal coded over the second predetermined number of bits at the second sampling frequency,
an automatic gain control unit connected to the pre-emphasis unit, and
an output arranged between the automatic gain control unit and the pre-emphasis unit, for providing a digital signal coded over the second predetermined number of bits sampled at said second frequency.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first and second predetermined numbers are both equal to 16.
The foregoing objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings.